Primary links

About GIY Green It Yourself

GIY Green It Yourself is mostly about watching and doing. Check out this intro video on the basics of what it is all about.

GIY Green It Yourself came about following my stint as a Carbon Cop on ABC TV.

This show did a great job raising awareness and getting people talking about energy efficiency but I felt that to give people real skills and confidence to make their home and lifestyle energy-efficient there needed to be more information, but no an overload of it.

GIY gives you simple, step-by-step instruction (which can seem a little laborious to experts ) on how to do the changes, including what tools and products to use, so that green DIY is easy.

I want to make a green handy-person out of everyone - especially if you don't consider yourself naturally handy.

With the right information and how-to skills you can do the job in a flash and get on with other things.

When you are ready to GIY, check out the shopping list for what you need to buy, where to buy it and how much it will cost. If you want a bit more info to throw into conversation at dinner parties, the fact sheet will give you some scientific back-up.

Perhaps you would like to share your GIY experiences (via video or words). I'd love to hear your GIY stories.

And subscribe to our newsletter to keep up to date with what's new on the site.

Have you noticed how many more green products are out there? Some are fantastical innovations, others sprouting green claims which grow into stuffwe don't need. Which ones are worth trying and buying

I'm calling on you lot to become unbiased, true reviewers of these things -not unlike those punching machines they have in IKEA, tirelessly plompingtheir mechanical bottoms on chairs and bedsHere's how it will work. I will source green products and offer them to GIY subscribers to test and review with vigor, candor and honesty. In return youwill write a little review for GIY telling us if you think the product isall it's quacked up to be.

I will also review the product and write a blog.

Reviewers will be selected randomly by a Dexter-like robot made out ofcardboard boxes and tin-foil covered toilet rolls...until I can come up withan idea with a higher compatability rating.

She is a broadcaster,science communicator, presenter and energy efficiency aficionado, she is best known as co-presenter of ABC TV's Carbon Cops and occasionally refered to Australias Queen of Green.

Lish has had an interest in energy efficiency ever since she realised it actually worked. As a student, looking to reduce her energy bills and still live comfortably, she started to do a few things that were considered pretty radical back then. She shaded windows, insulated hot water pipes, put on a jumper and realised that there might actually be something in this. This has since developed into a raving obsession.

She lives in a Canberra with her husband, two children, four chooks and 15,000 worms

This project got off the ground with the generous support of the British Council through their Big Green Idea grant program in 2009.

The initiative is designed to provide ‘seed’ funding to projects that motivate individuals to minimise their personal impact on climate change, and have the potential to make a real contribution to Australia's environmental future.It is now run on the smell of an oil-free rag and would welcome sponsorship.

A huge benefit of GIY is the complete editorial control that I have over the site. This is something that I really value.

Products:

I believe that naming products leads to greater ease of making changes.

I have chosen the products based on their performance, availability, price and where possible, environmental credibility or because other folks recommend them. Other products are showcased because they do a good job and fill a need in the market.

I recognise that products are always developing and changing so if you have a dodgy experience with a product we recommend, or think that another one is worth putting on GIY, please contact me. I want to make sure the content stays current and relevant.

I am happy to review products however are not bound to incorporate these into the site unless I feel they do a great job, fill a need and provide good value.